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Windows Server 2003 and all PCs can't connect to Internet

I have a serious problem- my domain controller (.100) cannot connect to the Internet unless I change to alternative dns as 4.2.2.2. All my workstations cannot reach the Internet unless I point their dns to 4.2.2.2 as well. This all started after installing trend micro antivirus (offiescan server) and removing Windows Search. Since then I've also removed the antivirus from server and rebooted many times. The Internet will not work unless I'm using an OpenDNS on my network. What can be the cause?

Is the DNS service running on the server?
What forwarder is the DNS server using?
Is DHCP giving the correct DNS server address to the clients?

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Krzysztof Pytko

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As far as I know there is no dns service running On the server (how to check?). Also the one major change was that I removed Windows Search from the server (maybe that removed an important feature?)

Krzysztof Pytko

OK, this is not a domain environment, right? I would suggest to check Trend Micro's firewall :) It's also installed with anti-virus client and may causes netwrok access issues ;)

Click RMB on TrendMicros tray icon and stop Firewall for test

retry access to the Internet

Krzysztof

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ASKER

This is a domain environment with 1 dc and 20 workstations. I already removed trend micro completely but issue remains. There is also a sonic wall firewall but I did not change any settings there.

Krzysztof Pytko

OK, please post unmodified ipconfig /all from your DC and one example client, please

Krzysztof

Is this a single server environment or just a single DC? Is it running Windows Server Small Business Edition? Also, please see my post above and check the settings in DHCP and DNS.

ASKER

-In services, the DNS server is set to "starting" and i can neither START or STOP.
-In administrative tools - DHCP there is no information there.
-In in administrative tools - DNS, says "cannot contact the dns server"

-IPConfig result:
Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : MySERVER
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . : MyDomain.local
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : MyDomain.local

Ethernet adapter Server Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom BCM5708C NetXtreme II GigE (NDIS
VBD Client)
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1E-C9-2F-08-1C
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.111.100
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.111.100
4.2.2.2
Primary WINS Server . . . . . . . : 192.168.111.100

Ethernet adapter Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom BCM5708C NetXtreme II GigE (NDIS
VBD Client) #2
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1E-C9-2F-08-1E
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.111.101
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.111.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.111.100
Primary WINS Server . . . . . . . : 192.168.111.100
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

ASKER

This is a single server, windows 2003 small business, that acts as the domain controller with AD. the rest are workstations. and 1 router.

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Krzysztof Pytko

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Krzysztof Pytko

and as I can see you have multihomed DC. Please follow with this article from MVP blog at
http://msmvps.com/blogs/acefekay/archive/2009/08/17/multihomed-dcs-with-dns-rras-and-or-pppoe-adapters.aspx

to set up properly multihomed DC

Krzysztof

ASKER

Krzysztof , the problem is, i am not the original administrator of this server so i do not know if this 1 server was a DNS server? So is there a way to find out before I start setting up Forwarders and messing with Root Hints?

I am just not sure what role this server had 24 hours ago (before i made small changeS)

SOLUTION

Krzysztof Pytko

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None of the network printers or roaming profiles are loading either... i'm assuming this is all related?

This is probably because you changed the local DNS of your clients to an external source (4.2.2.3). They clients need to have their DNS pointed to the server; and then the server needs to have a forwarder to the internet. This allows you internal DNS connectivity as well as internet resolution.

ASKER

In dnsmgmt.msc, it shows my server, but with a red x and says "cannot contact the dns server"
1. does this mean that the server is/was indeed a dns server?

In services, my dns server is stuck in a STARTING state
1. how can I stop and start it?

My roaming profiles and network printers are down and its taking ages to get users logged in.
1. is this related to the entire issue of the server dns?

First step - You need to reboot the server, hopefully that will bring the DNS service back up. Let me know the results and we can go from there.

ASKER

Rebooted the server, DNS is still in STARTING and will not start

At this point I would recommend removing the DNS role from the server and then reinstalling it. This will require you to reconfigure DNS (easy in a small network).

ASKER

I've reached out to microsoft for support, but a 2 hour wait is killer... how can I go about re-installing the server as a DNS and then making sure roaming profiles are working?

also is there a reason that network printers would be down?

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Also removed DNS, rebooted server, tried to reinstall DNS and it gave an error that it too an unusual amount of time to install. Now DNS shows up in services but its back to a "STARTING" state and will not start!!

ASKER

So my logs are not accessible so i can't check those, my DNS will not start up after re-install, just hangs in STARTING state... any other suggestions?

I am wondering if TrendMicro antivirus could have had such a big impact on my server and dns?

Have you had any recent Windows Updates? This sounds like some corruption in the OS. It's possible that Trend caused the problem, but not very likely. What happens when you try to view the event logs? Is the event viewer service running? I'll be heading into a conference soon but I'll respond via mobile whenever I have a chance.

ASKER

I appreciate all the help i can get at this point; The only two things that I did before all hell broke loose was install trendmicro officescan on the server and removed windows search then restarted and problems started... I cannot view Event Logs, Event Viewer will not start, and DNS is stuck in STARTING... I get this message below for any category that I click "Applications, Systems, etc." in Event Viewer
---------------------------
Event Viewer
---------------------------
Unable to complete the operation on "System".
The interface is unknown.

Event Log cannot be started and I get this message
---------------------------
Services
---------------------------
Could not start the Event Log service on Local Computer.

Error 1068: The dependency service or group failed to start.

Is the "Remote Procedure Call" service running? Can you sort the services by startup type and let me know which automatic services aren't in a "started" state.

ASKER

"Remote Procedure Call" is running (started). Automatic startup types that are not in started mode-
1. backupexec administration (blank)
2. dns server (starting)
3. event log (blank)
4. file replication service (blank)
5. microsoft .net framework (blank)
6. nntp (blank)
7. performance logs and alerts (blank)
8. print spooler (blank)
9. protected storage (blank)
10. SMTP (blank)
11. SNMP (blank)
12. SQL Server Agent (MSSQLSERVER) (blank)
13. Task Scheduler (blank)
14. Windows Internet Name Service (WINS) (blank)

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5 and 7 would not start for same error:
The Microsoft .NET Framework NGEN v4.0.30319_X86 service on Local Computer started and then stopped. Some services stop automatically if they have no work to do, for example, the Performance Logs and Alerts service.

6. would not start
Error 1068: The dependency service or group failed to start.

and obviously #3 would not start:
Could not start the Event Log service on Local Computer.
Error 1068: The dependency service or group failed to start.

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The Event Log I can't start because of dependency issues and it's dependent on JAVA WEB START and then system components which depends on this service;
1. dhcp server
2. file replication service,
3. a bunch of nntp, smtp, snmp, wins and just about everything...

ASKER

Wow we were so close!!... I finally solved it by calling Microsoft Support which viewed every Service (including the two critical non-working ones; Event Viewer and DNS Server) and found that both of them had a DEPENDENCY on Java Web Start which compared to a normal server did not need this dependency. Very possible that Java Web Start was affiliated with a virus or antivirus, but that's behind us now. Once JWS was removed as a dependency, the two services were able to start as normal.